With the use of pre-employment screening nearly doubling in five years comes increased scrutiny. Companies large and small strive to ensure their practices are fair, that they are in line with Equal Employment Opportunity Commission (EEOC) regulations, and that they aren’t participating – knowingly or unknowingly – in discriminatory practices.
With this in mind, there are four areas to look at when reviewing pre-employment assessments:
- Validity – does the test measure what it says it measures?
- Reliability – are the test results consistent?
- Legality – does the test meet EEOC requirements, including Title VII, the Americans with Disability Act (ADA), and the Age Discrimination in Employment Act (ADEA)?
- Is the assessment job-related (do the questions relate to business necessity)?
These aspects are areas that any employer is familiar with, as they affect nearly every employment decision that arises, not just pre-employment screening. The same questions you ask yourself in any steps you take with your applicants and your employees should be asked when you consider which pre-employment screening service is best for you.
In the case of Insight Worldwide’s assessments, voluntary information similar to the information you likely request on your initial job application is collected, and is routinely monitored to ensure results are proportionate across all classes, including those covered under Title VII, the ADA and the ADEA. In addition, all questions asked of your applicants are reviewed by independent labor attorneys for legal compliance.
Doing your due diligence up front can make sure the assessments are applied fairly, and help you avoid any discriminatory repercussions when you make your hiring decisions.
Another valuable service offered by Insight is developing customized assessments. The best assessment is the one designed specifically for an industry, and if possible designed for an individual organization. When an assessment is customized for an organization it reflects the individual culture, values, and characteristics of that organization. A customized and validated assessment provides the best protection for your organization in this climate of increased applicant and employee fairness as evaluated by the EEOC and meets the ADA requirements.
